I love gear. Though, it is sometimes more of an addiction. We all have thought back to all of the gear we sold or traded off and now wishing we still had it in our tear-soaked hands. I feel a country song coming on… Before I start writing that country song, I would like to talk about some guitars I never owned, but wish I had.

Peter Stroud is an incredible musician from Atlanta. He has played with numerous headliners, such as Sheryl Crow, Don Henley and Sarah McLachlan. Years ago, in the late ’80s, I was browsing the used guitars at Rhythm City. At the time, Peter was working the guitar shops and playing in the bars at night. I was standing right by Peter as he was doing a trade deal. The consumer was trading in a Les Paul Standard for some crazy looking, leopard skin print, Floyd Rose, 6-string, poor excuse of a guitar. I waited until the deal was done, and immediately ask Peter how much they wanted for the LP. I put the guitar on layaway right then. And thanks to my former girlfriend who had a brand new credit card, the guitar was mine the next day. Peter sold me my first Les Paul.

Fast forward 10 years or so, I get a call from a Gibson Artist relations rep wanting me to answer a few set-up questions about an artist’s guitar. Low and behold… it was Peter Stroud on the phone. Peter has ordered a handful of guitars from the Gibson Custom Shop since then.

So, one of my favorite guitars I wished I owned was one we built for Peter. It was a ’57 Les Paul Custom Reissue. The historic LP Customs at the custom shop have mahogany tops. The Faded Cherry color was produced using the old red aniline dye mixed into the wood filler, giving off an almost 3D effect. The hardware was typical except no ABR bridge. Just a wrap-around, two humbuckers and all the mojo you can stand. When I finished the set up on this guitar… it changed me. I was so bloody jealous of Peter getting this guitar.

Pete’s B7 has probably been around the world five or six times. Every once in a while I will see it on TV or surfing the web. And, I will sit back and reflect… Damn, I wanted that freaking guitar!